Barnes Meadow Reservoir, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Barnes Meadow Reservoir lies in Larimer County, Colorado. It sits at 9,098 feet above sea level. With some 100 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 1.9 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. You are 22 miles from Estes Park. Further out sit Granby (36 miles) and Laporte (36 miles). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Barnes Meadow Reservoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Public occurrence data for Larimer County names black-spotted cutthroat trout, brook trout and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Barnes Meadow Reservoir the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 54°F in July and bottoms out near 21°F in February. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid May. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. That is the shape of the year on Barnes Meadow Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Chambers Lake, 1.2 miles away. What applies at Barnes Meadow Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.